Apparatus for replacing the bristles of street sweeper broom drums



Dec. 31, 1957 s. STRIBLING 2,318,300

APPARATUS FOR REPLACING THE BRISTLES 0F STREET SWEEPER BROOM DRUMS Filed Jan 2'7, 1955 S Sheets-Sheet 1 S. STRIBLING APPARATUS FOR REPLACING THE BRI Dec. 31, 1957 STLES 0F STREET SWEEPER BROOM DRUMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2'7, 1955 Dec. 31, 1957 A s. STRIBLING 2,818,300

APPARATUS FOR REPLACING THE BRISTLES OF STREET SWEEPER BROOM DRUMS Filed Jan. 27, 1955 3 Shfiets sheeh 5 INVE N 7 OP.

United States Patent i APPARATUS FOR REPLACING THE BRISTLES F STREET SWEEPER BROOM DRUMS Sidney Stribling, Asan, Agana, Guam Application January 27, 1955, Serial No. 484,327

8 Claims. (Cl. 300-14) The invention has reference to rebristling devices for street sweeper grooved broom drums and the like and is related to providing a method of rebristling these drums with the customary fibers, which method dispenses with the need for supplying braking means for the broom drum and also dispenses with the need for power operation in rotating the broom drum during the rebristling operation. it also dispenses with the need for taking turns of wire rope around an auxiliary drum and supplying braking means for this auxiliary drum.

This invention furnishes a method of power operation of the broom drum wherein the rotation of the broom drum is continuous and not intermittent, as was the custom heretofore.

Many other new novel and useful features are embodied in the present method which comprises the invention and which will be disclosed in order as the description continues.

Heretofore it has been the custom to provide a braking means at either end of the broom drum; to provide an auxiliary drum upon which a stranded flexible member, such as wire rope or manila rope is wound, one end of this wire rope being secured to the end of the broom drum; the auxiliary drum being also provided with braking means at either end; power means being customarily provided to revolve the broom drum as follows; with they braking means engaged or partially engaged, the operator inserts a small quantity of the fibers at their mid-region between the wire rope and the groove; power revolves the broom drum for the small amount of about 2% inches to about 3 /2 inches, which is about all the fiber the operator can handle at one insertion; to engage the fiber and force it into the groove under the wire rope, the braking means of the auxiliary drum supplying the tension to insure a firm positioning of the fibers under the wire rope in the groove. Slack, additional wire rope,

to continue the rebristling operation is thus secured only by power operation, or by laborious manual operation of the broom drum exerting suflicient power against the brakes holdin the auxiliary drum. This method, as

was heretofore the practice has required an expensive apparatus and somewhat cumbersome operational practices, all of which are eliminated in the present invention which embodies a new approach to the problems presented in this art, and new solutions to all of the several problems.

Thus, a purpose of this method is to supply a means of rotatably and tiltably holding the broom drum, freely revolving, without a brakefthe angle of tilt being adjustable at the will of the operator, at either end of the broom drum.

Another purpose is to provide these holding means for the broom drum spaced adjustably to each other in order to allow of adjustment to accommodate broom drums of different lengths, as furnished by the manufacturers.

Another purpose is to supply a means for rotatably and tiltably holding a drum in longitudinal oppoistion to the broom drum, this opposing drum being likewise freely rotatable, and without a brake, andthe angle of tilt 2,818,300 Patented Dec. 31, 1957 being likewise adjustable at the will of the operator, and at either end of the opposing drum.

Another purpose is to provide an annular, grooved, flanged member rotatably disposed around the opposing drum.

Another purpose is to provide for the wire rope being engaged with a groove in the broom drum throughout the length of the broom drum before the commencement of the rebristling operation.

Another purpose is to provide a reverse turn of the wire rope in its passage over an opposing drum and also in the passage of the wire rope back to the broom drum. This is a dual purpose feature, one purpose being to directionally control the passage of the wire rope over the opposing drum. The second purpose being to provide a holding and positioning means for a frame which holds a guard, or guide, consisting of a fiber deflecting member which deflects the previously inserted ends of the fibers away from the operators work area.

Another purpose, secured by the combination of all of the several purposes, is to supply an assembly of parts, and a method which does not require a frame as a holding means for the assembly, in the accomplishment of this purpose wall brackets, floor brackets, stanchions and brackets and ceiling brackets are provided.

Another purpose, likewise secured by a combination of all of the several purposes is to provide a rebristling device which will operate in a horizontal as well as in a vertical position; and in the horizontal position to provide for and to recommend that the use of the fibers be discontinued for this purpose and that metal be substituted therefor, the same metal strips which are presently used for the side brooms, or gutter brooms commonly associated with the apparatus; and in this, a continuous operation, a continuous turning of the broom drum; the operator being afforded the means of keeping ahead of the operation by placing the already bent metal strips on the horizontally disposed wire; power operation is recommended and provided for, at about two revolutions per minute. The metal strips may, of course, be inserted with the apparatus in the upright position, under manual operation. Strands of preformed wire rope, in the smaller diameters, and /8 inch, cut in proper lengths and bent previous to insertion, and likewise the individual wires of wire rope, in the larger diameters, 1 and 1 /8 inches, are suitable for this purpose in the power operation of the device in the horizontal position; the metal alfording a much longer period of usefulness of the broom, over that secured by the use of the fibers.

Another purpose, likewise secured by a combination of all of the several purposes is to furnish a device which supplies tension to the fiber securing wire rope and allows of the progressive slackening of the wire rope as the rebristling operation proceeds and as the circumference of each turn of the wire rope around the empty broom drum becomes greater by reason of the fibers being placed in the groove between the wire rope and the bottom drum groove.

With these and other objects in view the invention is further described with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an upright perspective view showing the entire assembly in the upright position and mountedon a frame.

Figure 2 is a detail view ShoWin'g one of the advantages the fiber deflecting guard as mounted on a frame with grooved sheaves engaging the four parts of the wire rope at the reverse turn, and showing an arm extending outbly engaged and secured in a screw ch is welded onto a steel plate 30, e frame member 1, and bolt holes four corners of the said steel plate member 1. Four bolts 31, two of lending through plate 3% as well as hich is similar to plate 30 and is 10- e member 1 are used to secure and broom drum 25 and to allow of members to accommodate broom gths. uring a foot pedal mechanism to the her 1 is similar to that supplied for l buckle 28, and for the same reason, ng shifted when the said turn buckle pf accommodation of broom drums 5 two plates are provided 33 and 34 ntal member 1 by the four bolts 35. late 33 are two outwardly extending 6, interposed between the said plates extending lever member 37 secured member 36a, allowing pivotal mover 37. A foot pedal member or rod ll'ly the length of the horizontal memh the member 37 at 39, but not being etc. This holding means and manoot pedal mechanism is the same at d foot pedal, the one description is 1' both ends.

eration of the foot pedal in rotating s described as follows: At the exed drum 25 the shaft extension 26 a commonly known machinists deep kld in position by the customary key y way commonly provided at shaft anufacturers, this deep socket 40 is monly known machinists ratchet conventionally secured to the said posite extremity of the said ratchet ember 42 is secured and extends ttached at 43 to the foot pedal 38. l the last mentioned extremity of the tile 41 is a coil spring 44, the spring ppwardly and being secured at its "zontal member 2 at 45. Thus, when {a quantity of the fibers between the 6 and the groove 48 in the drum 25 vard foot pressure on the pedal 38 $41 are activated, exerting a rotating l drum 25 via the socket member 48, to the groove 48 where they are tension on the wire rope 46. This s an expanding effect on the spring pressure on rod 38 allows the exretract, restoring the ratchet 41 to and awaiting the next repetition of posite extremity of the said grooved assembly of holding means identical t just described so that the foregoing [1e is believed to suflice for both, the ast mentioned extremity of the roll by the numeral 28a. The grooved is likewise the same at both extremdescription of the one is believed to ention as illustrated in Figure 1 are es 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, with ference.

roceeds with reference to Figure 1 e 46 of suitable diameter and length red at an extremity of the grooved s provided in the manufacture of the plete round turn of the wire rope is er of the drum 25 before engaging the groove 48 of the drum 25. An end 47 of a length of wire rope is permitted to provide additional length if it should be needed. The wire rope 46 is then wound without tension into the groove 48 the entire length of the groove 48 of the drum 25, the ratchet 41 being removed during this operation and at the terminal of the groove 48 at the opposite extremity of the drum 25 the wire rope is carried up and, at 49, reversely carried over the opposing drum 18, and placed in the groove 24 of the flanged annular member 21, and is, again at 49, reversely returned to the said grooved drum 25 at a position opposite that from which it left the drum in making the reverse turn. The wire rope is then dead endedly secured to the said drum 25 by a means provided in the manufacture of the drum. The wire rope 46 is thus crossed as indicated at 49. The horizontal member 2 is protected at its edges from the chafing effect of the wire rope by the fact that it is composed of heavy metal angle members 50.

The reverse turn 49 of the wire rope serves a dual purpose both of them of value in this invention.

Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates one of these purposes in which the wire rope 46 is shown, at the left, in direct passage over the opposing drum 18, without the reverse turn; leaving the groove 48 (which is shown diagrammatically as a channel) at the top and returning to the groove 48 at the bottom. When the drum 18 rotates in the direction of the arrow 51, under tension, the wire rope will seek to creep upward, to the right, of the opposing drum 18, and exert a binding effect on the said wire rope and no amount of slant, downward, to the left, of the opposing drum 18 will overcome this tendency. Also shown in this Figure 2, at the right, is the effect of the reverse turn 49 in adjusting the angle of travel over the opposing drum 18 of the wire rope 46, in which the wire rope 46 leaves the groove 48 at the top, makes the first half of the reverse turn as indicated by the dotted line 49, using up a portion of the angular disposition of the groove 48, the wire rope 46 traverses the crown of the opposing drum 18 as shown at 46, and continues, completing the reverse turn as indicated by the dotted line 49 and expending the remainder of the angular disposition of the said groove 48, and allowing the wire rope 46 to transit the opposing drum 18 straight across as indicated at 46, and allowing the said wire rope to travel in the direction of any slant in the said opposing drum 18. In this Figure 2 the annular flanged member 21 as shown in Figure 6 is omitted in order to afford clarity to the description of Figure 2; the same condition prevails with or without the flanged annular member 21 of Figure 6. I

Figure 3 illustrates another purpose of the reverse turn 49 of the wire rope 46 in which the said reverse turn is utilized for holding a fiber deflecting guard apparatus in deflecting the inserted fibers away from the operators work area, in which the reverse turn 49 is shown with an oblong rigid frame 52 furnished to support four rotating deep grooved sheaves 53, 54, 55 and 56, the said grooved sheaves engaging the Wire rope 46 two above and two below the said reverse turn 49, and thus maintaining their position regardless of the rotation or the direction of rotation of the wire rope 46. Since a spacer is needed to space two of the sheaves away from the frame 52 due to the cross of the wire rope 46; the spacers 57 are provided, in this application, for sheaves 53 and 55. The effect of a groove of substantial depth may be obtained by furnishing two rotatable discs 58 and 59 one on either side of the sheaves, of greater diameter, which will retain the wire rope as effectively as a deeper groove. These discs are shown in detail in Figure ll. An arm 61 is secured to the frame 52, the arm extending outwardly and downwardly from the said frame and terminating in the guard member 60 at right angles to the said arm 61.

Figure 4 is illustrative of the adaptability of this invention in which the holding means for the grooved drum 25 and the opposing drum 18 are horizontally disposed and wherein power operation may be employed in a continuous operation at about two revolutions per minute in rebristling the grooved drum with the previously mentioned metal strips, or lengths of wire rope strands, or lengths of wire rope wires, the same having been previously bent for placement on the horizontally disposed wire rope 46. Numerical reference to Figure 4 is omitted in the most part as the parts are the same as brought forth in previous reference in other figures. Thus in Fig- .ure 4 the steel plate holding members 30 of the turn buckles 28 and 28a are secured by the wall brackets 62, the horizontal member 2 of Figrue 1 is eliminated, taking the place thereof are the stanchions 63, properly braced, the steel plates 8 are provided identically the same as in Figure l, and for the same purpose, and are secured to the said stanchions 63 in the same manner as the horizontal member 2 of Figure 1. The guard member Figure 3 may be employed in this adaptation. Power operation of the apparatus in continuous rotation is not shown as it forms no part of the invention, but it would comprise a conventional motor with reduction gear, and a chain and sprocket drive of conventional design.

A brief summary commensurate with the invention as claimed is furnished with further reference to Figure l; with the wire rope 46 in the groove and the reverse turn 49 over the opposing drum 18 as previously described. The operator positions the grooved drum 25 and the opposing drum 1% in the desired position to maintain continuous tension on the wire rope 46 during the rebristling operation, this being accomplished by having the screw bolt 10 of the opposing drum 18 all the way down, and the dual screw bolt member 28 of the grooved drum 25 all the way up. At the opposite extremity screw bolt 17.

' of the opposing drum 18 is substantially upward, and the dual screw bolt 28a of the grooved drum 25 is substantially downward, and exerting substantial tension on the wire rope 46, in this position the rotating axis of the drums 18 and 25 are converging, and allow of a controllable amount of slack appearing in the Wire rope 46 as the drumsare revolved.

The operator takes a suitable quantity of the fibers and inserts them back of the wire rope 46 and between the wire rope and the groove 48 of the drum 25, rotates the drum about 3 inches as previously described, and tension on the wire rope entering the groove forces the fibers, at their mid-region into the groove, the sidewall of the groove positioning the fiber ends in a substantially upright position at right angles to the axis of rotation of the said grooved drum 25. As the fiber ends appear at the first revolution, the guard deflecting member 60 engages them and deflects them away from the operators work area. After the first or second revolution in inserting the fibers an adjustment for tension of. the wire rope is generally necessary; if the wire rope requires more tension the bolt 23 is adjusted slightly downwardly and screw bolt 10 so adjusted slightly upwardly, after which great tension is to be exerted on the wire rope by adjusting the screw bolt 11 upwardly and the dual screw bolt 28a downwardly. If there is too much tension on the wire rope it is relieved by a slight adjustment downwardly of screw bolt 11 and a slight adjustment upwardly of dual bolt 28a. Also it may be desirable to adjust screw bolt 10 downwardly slightly and to adjust dual bolt 28 slightly upwardly. One such adjustment is generally all the operator will have to make during the entire operation. It is of the essence to maintain maximum tension on the wire rope throughout the operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention, while shown in its preferred forms; particularly with a view to economy of construction, and sacrificing no utility thereby; it is realized that the invention may appear in an unusual number of adaptations and modifications, par ticularly so in creating the apparatus, of no more utility, of an assembly of specially manufactured parts, thus 

